Man's Best Friend

Chapter 7

Hermione leaned against the house and stared up at the stars, her knees pulled to her chest. It had been a few days since Sirius and Lupin revealed Peter to be the one who betrayed Harry's parents and they were still at The Ministry of Magic with Harry trying to prove Sirius' innocence. Ron had left after finding out and refused to talk to any of them. Her mother had left. Packed up her things in the middle of the night and just left. Hermione didn't know what was going to happen when she went back to Hogwarts. Or if she even would. She was lost in her thoughts, which seemingly consisted of mostly Sirius, for another hour, before she heard someone calling her name. She sighed and crawled back through her window.

She was a few steps from the bottom of the stairs when a pair of arms snaked around her waist. Before she knew it, she was spinning. Looking down, she felt herself smiling. Sirius smiled up at her, a wide grin on his face. She swallowed the lump in her throat as heat radiated from his arms wrapped around her and through her body. Her shirt rode up a bit and she felt his rough skin on her softer skin and her heart began pounding in her chest.

"Set her down, Padfoot. You're going to make her ill!" Laughed Lupin.

Setting her down on her feet, he kissed the top of her head and wrapped a lanky arm around her shoulders. "I take it you've been relieved of all charges?"

Sirius grinned down at her. "I have."

"Congratulations." Hermione said, faking a smile and walking into the kitchen.

Harry, Remus and Sirius watched her as she stood with her back to them, preparing tea. "I better go talk to her." Harry said, walking between the two men and into the kitchen. "Herms?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You don't seem okay."

"I'm fine, Harry!" Hermione snapped, looking at him. "Now stop asking me!"

"Hermione…" Harry followed her as she walked out of the kitchen.

"Leave me alone Harry." Hermione said and stormed up the stairs.

"What did you say to her?" Lupin asked.

"All I did was ask if she was okay."

Lupin placed a hand on his shoulder as he went to follow. "I'll go talk to her. Just stay here with Sirius." He said and walked up the steps. He knocked lightly on the door. "Ms. Granger?"

"Go away Professor." came her mumbled reply. Sighing, he unlocked the door with his wand and walked in. "I'm getting sick of people doing that."

"Well if you told people what was going on, then we wouldn't have to do that." Lupin smiled at her. He walked over and sat down at the end of her bed with her. "Tell me what's going on." he said nudging her gently.

"Nothing. I'm fine." she said, hugging herself.

Lupin sighed. "I know something is wrong. So does Harry. And Sirius." Hermione tensed at the mention of Sirius and Lupin sighed again. "It's Sirius." Hermione tightened her arms around herself. "Are you afraid of him?" Hermione shook her head. Lupin fought the smile tugging at his lips. "Is it because he's seen you in your…" he coughed a bit. "um…knickers?"

Hermione looked at him. His cheeks were red, a small smile on his lips and he wouldn't look at her. "No, it isn't because he saw me in my, cough cough, knickers. But thank you for reminding me, I had forgotten." she said standing up and walking over to her dresser, playing with some random objects on top.

"Then what is it?" he asked, still seated on her bed.

Hermione leaned against the dresser, playing with the sleeves of her shirt. "Before he came here, I…I didn't realize how afraid I was to stay here. But when he got here, I felt, you know, safe." she said, tears brimming her eyes. "And now that he's free, he's gonna leave."

Lupin stood up and walked over to her. Pulling her into a hug, he placed a kiss on the top of her head. "You don't need to be afraid of being here, Hermione. Your father is gone. He can't hurt you anymore. And you have your mum."

Hermione started sobbing and shook her head. "I don't even have her."

Lupin pulled back a bit. "What do you mean? Of course you do."

Hermione shook her head. "When you guys were at The Ministry, she left."

Lupin stared down at her. "What?" he walked out of her room and down the hall to her parents' room. Opening the door he looked around. The dresser drawers were pulled out and emptied, the closet was open with nothing but her father's clothes and empty coat hangers. Hermione leaned against the door frame.

"I told you. She left."


Sirius stared at Remus. "So, her mom just, left."

Lupin nodded. "Turned the property over to Hermione's name, packed up everything and left."

"Well what is she going to do? I mean is she going to sell the house? Go back to Hogwarts? What?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure." Lupin looked at Sirius. "Harry why don't you bring her some tea. I need to speak with Sirius about something."

Harry nodded and went into the kitchen to prepare the tea. "So what do you…"

Lupin held up a hand. "Not until Harry is upstairs, Padfoot." Sirius nodded and they waited until Harry walked up to Hermione's room with a tray of tea. "Alright, I talked to Hermione. She told more than just about her mother leaving." Lupin said sitting forward.

Sirius glanced up at the stairs and leaned forward. "What'd she say?"

"She told me that she's afraid to be here. Which she didn't realize until you got here and made her feel safe. Now that you're free…"

"She thinks I'm gonna be leaving." Sirius finished.

"Well aren't you? I mean, you're a free man now."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I still have Grimmauld Place. Now that I'm free, I'll be able to live there without being attacked by The Ministry."

Lupin clasped his hands together. "What would you think about having a roommate?"

"I already plan on offering Harry a place to stay." Sirius said.

"I'm talking about Hermione, Padfoot."